ROUNDUP Los Angeles Pierce College
www.theroundupnews.com
Woodland Hills, California
Volume 128 - Issue 5
School faces worst budget deficit in more than 30 years: more on page 7
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
Baseball makes itself at home
Field conditions lead to a Brahma walk-off at Monarch Field JOSHUA MANES Spotlight Editor @TheManesEvent
B
aseball capped off a week that had games rescheduled and played to avoid the rain by doing something most teams never get the chance to do. Wet field conditions may have taken the game away from home, but the Brahmas still had the last atbat Saturday, and Brandon Lewis delivered a walk-off homerun on the field of crosstown rival Los Angeles Valley College. Friday’s storm left Joe Kelly Field unplayable, so the decision was made to play the game on the Monarchs’ turf field. The change in venue may have thrown the Brahmas off to start the game, as Valley quickly got on the board in the first. Leadoff hitter Josh Meza singled for the Monarchs, but was promptly subbed out of the game for Jake Shore. Thomas Keller reached on an error, and a Brock Bell sacrifice moved Shore to third and Keller to second. Pierce starting pitcher Alexis Miranda would give up a walk to load the bases with one out, and Shore would score on the a groundout by Jon Escott. Casey Horvat followed up with a two-run double, extending the lead to 3-0. Giovanni Chaidez singled in Horvat, but was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double. Miranda settled down after the first, only allowing those four unearned runs over 6.2 innings pitched.
Shae Hammond / Roundup
Baseball celebrates after Brandon Lewis hits a game-winning two-run homerun against Los Angeles Valley College in Valley Glen, Calif., on March 17, 2018. The Brahmas responded in the first with a pair of runs. First, Lewis singled in Michael Tillman. Lewis later stole second and scored on Bryce Vitt’s two-out single. Pierce cut the Monarch lead down to one in the fourth inning when Nick Pico singled in Diego Harris.
The Brahmas entered the bottom of the ninth still trailing 4-3. Shortstop Will Picketts singled to start the inning, bringing up the potential winning run in the form of Lewis. Lewis was ready to send everyone home, hitting his sixth homerun on the season, ending the
day 3-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Barrett Vonderau picked up the win, throwing a perfect ninth inning, bringing his Western State - South Conference leading ERA down to 1.90. The win gave the Brahmas a 2-1
split for the week, with a previous win at Valley on Wednesday, March 14, and a loss to Bakersfield College on Friday, March 16, in a game that was originally scheduled for the previous week. Pierce stands at 6-3 in the Western State - South, in a three-way tie with
LA Mission College and Bakersfield. The Brahmas face Valley again on Tuesday, March 20, before wrapping up the week with a pair of games against LA Mission on Thursday and Friday. jmanes.roundupnews@gmail.com
Ankur's away Heated discussions, political moves
A lumnu s u se s politic s as a way to help others KARAN KAPOOR Reporter @KaranRoundup Penny pinching may sound negative, but for one potential assemblyman it got him to where he is today. While growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Pierce College alumnus Ankur Patel traversed Los Angeles’ public education system, which influenced him to pursue a career in politics and capitalize on the opportunity to improve life for himself and his family. Patel, a candidate for California State Assembly, District 45, said the realities of financial struggle hit him while he was attending the University of California, Los Angeles. “We were spending so much money on rent and living out there. That is when I decided, while living at home in Chatsworth, to take the bus from Chatsworth to UCLA in my fourth year,” Patel said. According to Patel, growing up without much access to aid left him with an appreciation for the public
Stephen Nicholson / Roundup
Ankur Patel stands outside of the Great Hall at Pierce College.
education system and the resources available through it. “It’s a different mentality when you grow up without all the opportunity in terms of resources, tutoring and programs, but public education is that opportunity, and I was lucky and privileged to have taken advantage of that.” Patel said that he was unsuccessful in finding a job after finishing his educational career at UCLA in the field of conservation biology, so he took his talents and landed a position in a different discipline. [see Ankur on pg. 5]
Three candidates for Assembly 45 stayed connected to school roots ROSA ORTEGA Reporter @RosaGabOrtega
Pierce alumni are running to represent the Woodland Hills district and are encouraging students to become more involved in politics by voting and through social movements. Candidates for Assembly 45 Jesse Gabriel, Tricia Robbins Kasson and Ankur Patel communicated and engaged with the community in the Great Hall for Pierce’s biannual Day of Politics on Thursday, March 15. Assembly 45 and the U.S. Senate candidates presented their platforms to community members. Pierce students opened the event with two debates: gun regulation and sanctuary cities. Other issues debated were: health care, DACA and the environment. Political science professor Denise Robb, the lead organizer for Day of Politics, said that students have the opportunity to receive liberal and conservative sides of a political issue during the event. “We have invited all the candidates from all different political parties. However, the Republican candidates don't always come,” Robb said. “The reason why Republicans don't always come is because they think the voter registration is all Democrat, but they are welcome to come.” Candidates presented their
George Apikyan / Roundup
District 45 candidates Ray Bishop, Jesse Gabriel, Ankur Patel, Trisha Robbins and Daniel Bran speak during the Day of Politics in the Great Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills Calif. On March 15, 2018.
political platforms in two-minute turns. Students were encouraged to ask questions about topics they wanted the speakers to address. Co-president of the Pierce College Democrats Melody Niv said the purpose of the event is to help increase the number of young voters by informing them about the political issues affecting the country.
“A lot of us are not aware of these issues, and this presents these issues in a really accessible, compact format. I think it’s amazing that everyone is becoming so engaged in politics because this is what affects us and will affect us forever,” Niv said. Co-president of the Pierce College Democrats Bella Aguilar-Basil said that the student debates inform
students about unfamiliar issues. Former Pierce student Tricia Robbins Kasson is the only female candidate running for Assembly 45. She said she started voting soon after she turned 18, but the lack of diversity on the ballot motivated her to run for the position.. [see politics on pg. 3]
Next issue online only, 3/28. No issue during Spring Break, 3/30-4/8. RUONLINE?
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